Gardener’s BOOKSHELF

The Book of the Earthworm by Sally Coulthard (£14.99, Head

of Zeus) Charles Darwin estimated there were 53,000 earthworms for every acre of land and believed they were the most important creatures on the planet, yet they’re also one of the least appreciated. In this new book the author provides a complete profile of earthworms by answering 50 questions and including practical advice and quirky facts. ✿ ✿ ✿✿

Great Dixter: Then and Now, by Fergus Garrett (£12.99, Pimpernel Press) Christopher Lloyd was one of the 20th century’s most acclaimed plantsmen, developing the gardens at Great Dixter, which have become a Mecca for plant lovers. From the 1930s until his death in 2006 he also regularly took photographs, building up a fascinating record of the garden as it evolved. This book features a carefully chosen selection of these images. ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

The RHS Book of

Garden Verse (£9.99, Frances Lincoln) This collection of poems celebrating the garden brings together classic verse, perennial favourites and more recent contributions from writers such as Sylvia Plath. Each poem is beautifully illustrated with a botanical print, engraving or watercolour from the RHS collection of botanical art at the Lindley Library – a book to treasure. ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿